Device for putting new toe coverings on shoes



Feb. 20', 1940. I. GUSS 2,191,230

DEVICE FOR PUTTING NEW TOE COVERINGS ON SHOES Filed March 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1N VENTOR.

Feb. 20, 1940. Y u 2,191,230

DEVICE FOR PUTTING NEW TOE COVERINGS ON SHOES Filed March- 1, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 20, 1940 DEVICE FOR PUTTING NEW TOE COVERINGS ON SHOES Isadore Guss, Detroit, Mich. Application March 1, 1939, Serial No. 259,192

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a mechanism for mending shoes, and more particularly, to a means for repairing worn toes of shoes. The device stretches leather tips across the uppers of worn out toes of shoes, which are then cemented and sewed to the shoe welt. Heretofore this type of shoe repair required arduous labor in properly stretching the leather and sewing it into place. The results were so unsatisfactory, even after considerable time expenditure, that the fair remuneration therefor made the practice too expensive to be practicable.

It is the object of the inventor to overcome these difficulties by means of the device hereinafter described which reduces the cost of such repairs to a minimum in view of the fact that such repairs can now be made with my device in a very few minutes.

It is the further object of the inventor to provide a simple device for re-covering Worn out shoe tips, producing a perfectly smooth toe oovering free from wrinkles, which conforms eX- actly to the contour of the original tce upper. The principle embodied in my device is also applicable to the repair of other parts of a shoe.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying, more specific description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of my device;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the same; Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of application hereof; and

Figure l is a perspective view of a slightly different embodiment of my invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of another embodiment;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, a continuous U shaped band H of flexible metal or other material is centrally tapped at l2 toreceive the threaded bolt 53.

The curved heel engaging member M, perpen dicular to the bifurcated portions l5 and It, and loosely riveted or otherwise secured to the threaded bolt at I7, is adjustably operable with respect to the arms l5 and Hi by the cross pin l8 forming a part of the bolt l3.

While a threaded bolt is disclosed in my pref erable embodiment as the means for longitudinally adjusting the heel engaging member M, it is contemplated that such adjustment could be made either by lever means forming a part of the U shaped portion of my device or by suitable gearing. It is contemplated that-means other than the threaded bolt herein disclosed would be perfectly adaptable for carrying out the adjusting operation whereby longitudinal movement is given to the heel engaging member. i

The flexible wire loop It, the ends of which are inserted within the holes 2B provided in the lugs 2| forming an integral part of the arms l5 and It, is fixedly and removably attached thereto by means of the threaded screws 22. These screws journaled within threaded portions of the lugs frictionally bear upon the wire strands hold- 1 ing them against longitudinal movement.

While this means of attachment is shown in my preferable embodiment, it is contemplated as within the scope of my invention that any other means of attachment of the ends of the wire loop would be satisfactory which carry out the pur- T poses of my invention heretofore set out.

The threaded bolt 23, washer M, and winged nut 25, retained within slots 25 provide lateral adjustment means for the arms !5 and it with respect to each othenso that any Width shoe may be repaired withmy device. The bolt 23 longi tudinally movable within the slots 26 also provides an adequate shoe supporting means.

The method of repair herein embodied as illustrated in Figure 3 comprises placing the last 2'! within a shoe 28 tokeep it rigid. The leather toe covering 29' is placed on the toe portion of the shoe and applied to the device herein disclosed by slipping the wire loop l9 along the groove 3% defined between the upper 3| and the welt 32 of the shoe.

The heel retaining means it is applied to the heel ofv the shoe by means of the threaded bolt l3 manipulated by the handle Id.

The device which fits any size shoe and is longi- After applying the wire loop to the groove 3D,

by turning the handle ill in a clockwise direction, the wire loop i9 is tightened along the new leather covering 29 until the same conforms exactly to the original contour of the toe. Further tightening removes all wrinkles providing a smooth toe cover.

It is to be noted that manipulation of the bolt l3 evenly contracts the wire loop at all points. As a result the new covering is drawn. down around the toe so as to exactlyconform to its original contour. It is this even contraction of the wire throughout which produces the desired result.

Several minutes after the previously applied bement is dried, the wire loop is loosened by manipulation of the bolt I3 and the new covering is then sewn in place and properly trimmed.

It is further contemplated as within the scope of the invention herein that the heel engaging means be stationary, as shown in Figure 4, and that suitable means be provided to give longitu-v dinal movement to the end of the wire loop, thereby also accomplishing the purposes herein described.

In Figure 4 which illustrates an alternative embodiment of applicants invention, the .ends of the wire loop is are fixed to a cross bar 33 which rides in'grooves 34 in the arms of the base portion II and are given longitudinal movement by manipulation of the threaded bolt l3 journaled within said base.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 which represent a slightly diiferent embodiment of my invention, the bifurcated portions I5 and I6 are secured to a supporting means 33 by screws 34.

The brackets 35 with slots 36 slidably disposed upon the base portion 33 are bent around the outside and top edges of the bifurcated portions l5 and it to provide lateral adjustment therefore.

The brackets or clips 35 are adjustably secured to the base portion 33 by means of the screws 38, and wing nuts 39.

Now having described my invention, reference will be had to the following claims for determining the scope hereof.

I claim:

1. A device for repairing shoes comprised of a bifurcated base, a flexible wire loop fixedly and removably attached thereto, a heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the base and secured to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof, and means for lateral adjustment of the bifurcated base portion.

2. A device for putting new toe coverings on shoes comprised of a bifurcated base, a flexible wire loo-p fixedly and removably attached thereto, a vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the central portion of the base and secured to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof, a threaded bolt and nut slidably journaled within slots in said base providing both lateral adjustment for said bifurcated portion and supporting means for a shoe.

3. A device for putting new toe. coverings on shoes comprised of a resilient bifurcated base, a flexible wire loop the ends of which are inserted within openings in extended portions of said base, fixedly and removably attached thereto by means of threaded screws journaled in the ends of the longitudinally disposed portions of said base, an arcuate vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the central portion of the base and loosely riveted to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof, a

-. bifurcations for varying threaded bolt and nut slidably journaled in slots in said base providing both lateral adjustment for said bifurcated portions and supporting means for a shoe.

. 4. In combination with a shoe last, a device for repairing shoes which is comprised of a resilient bifurcated base, a flexible wire loop fixedly and removably attached thereto, a vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, means for causing longitudinal movement of said heel engaging member and means for lateral adjustment of the bifurcated base portion.

5. A device for repairing shoes comprised-of supporting means, a bifurcated base portion fixedly mounted thereon, a flexible wire loop the ends of which are inserted within openings in extended portions of said base, fixedly and re mo-vably attached thereto by means of threaded screws journaled in the ends of the longitudinally disposed portions of said base, an arcuate vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the central portion of the base and loosely riveted to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof, a threaded bolt and nut slidably journaled in slots in said base providing both lateral adjustment for said bifurcated portions and supporting means for a shoe.

6. A device for repairing shoes comprised of supporting means, a resilient bifurcated base fixedly'mounted thereon, a flexible wire loop the ends of which are inserted within openings in extended portions of said base, fixedly and removably attached thereto by means of threaded screws journaled in the .ends of the longitudinally disposed portions of said base, an arcuate vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the central portion of the base and loosely riveted to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof, slotted brackets slidably disposed upon said supporting means and fixedly 7. A device for putting new toe coverings on r shoes comprised of a resilient bifurcated base, a flexible wire loop the ends of which are inserted within openings in extended portions of said base,

fixedly and removably attached thereto by means i of threaded screws journaled in the ends of the longitudinally disposed portions of said base, an arcuate vertically disposed heel engaging member adjustably mounted within said base, a threaded bolt with operating means thereon journaled through the central portion of the base and loosely riveted to said heel retaining member for causing longitudinal movement thereof; and means fOr adjusting the relative position of said the space between the same ISADORE GUSS. 

